Stoker



June 23, 1931. E. J. CLERGET 1,811,746

STOKER Filed Aug. 19, 1924 5Sheets-Sheet l June 23, 1931,

E. J. CLERGET STOKER Filed Aug. 19, 1924 June 23, 1931. E. J. CLERGETSTOKER,

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. '19, 1924 Patented June 23, 1931 auras"rat-as EDMUND J. CLEEGET, or cincaeo, ILLntoIs, ASSIGNOE TOemuarcnnnneinnnnme COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, EE-IINSYLVANIA, ACORPORATION OF PENNSYL" VANIA S-TOKER Application filed August 19, 1924.Serial No; 732,971.

My invention relates to stokers, having particular relation to handoperated stokers.

One object of my invention is to provide relatively simple means forpositively feed- '5 ing coal into and through a furnace without anypacking of the coal due to one portion of the fuel bed portion.

Another object of my invention is to pro- 10 vide a novel form of fuelsupporting and feeding structure together with means for so modifyingthe supporting surface of said structure when the latter is movedbodily, that clinker formation is substantially avoided and the freepassage of air through the fuel supporting structure facilitated.

A further object of my invention is to provide a stoker comprising meansfor feeding fuel into a furnace as the fuel bed is.

29 opened up and for, thereafter, so operating on the fuel bed as toclose such voids as may have been formed by the preceding feedingmovement, whereby the fuel bed may be W maintained at a substantiallyuniform density. a

A still further object of my invention is to provide a grate structurecomprising a plurality of movable parts forming a grate surface andmeans for moving said grate struc- 30 ture into one position, whereinthe grate sur- 7 face isbrolren up into a plurahty of step-likesections, and for moving said grate structure into another position,wherein the grate surface is substantially flat.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a grate of theclass. described, wherein a desired transverse section may be raised orlowered and moved forward or backward without materially affecting thestructure of the fuel bed adjacent to said section.

Other objectsand applications of my'invention, as well as details ofconstruction and operation, will be apparent from the followingdescription and claims, wherein,

through a portion of a furnace equipped with my invention, the grateelements belng shown in their flat or normal forward position' "Fig. 2is'a view similarto Fig. 1 but showpushing against a succeeding Fig. 1is a vertical sectional view taken as were not essential to theclearunderstanding of my present invention. The structure thereindlsclosed comprlses front and rear walls 1 and 2 and side walls 4. Afuel supporting and feeding grate-structure 5 for the furnace extendsfrom a point adjacent to the rear wall'2 through a furnace opening 6 inthe frontwall 1 to a point just beyond the same and it is movablymounted on inclined pairs of rails 7 and 8 carried by the side walls 4,respectively, all as will appear more fully herelnafter. One method ofsupporting the rails 7 and 8 on the sidewalls 4 is shown a in Figs. 3and 4, wherein the side wall 4 is provided with an inclined groove 9forming. j

a supporting shoulder 10 of sufficient depth to receive the rail 8only.- Rail 7 which is to be supported outside of the groove 9, is.mounted on a horizontal plate 11 which extends into the groove 9intermediate the rail 8 and the shoulder 10.

The rails 7 and 8 supportrollers-lQ and 13,

which are mountedon pivot rods 14 and 15,

respectively. The pivot rods 14 and 15 support a number of intersectingtransverse and longitudinal series of plates which constitute the gratesurface. As shown-in Fig. 5 of the drawing, each longitudinal series ofplates extends from a movable hopper plate 16 (Fig. 1) positioned at theouter end of the grate constructon to an anchor plate 17 positioned atthe inner end of the grate construction, and it comprises successivepairs 18 of relatively wide and narrow plates 19 and 20, respectively,or so-called grate and hinge plates. Each transverse series of plates,however, extends between the furnace side walls 4, 4 and it comprises aplurality'of pairsof grate and h-ingeplates-l8. i r 1 The outer ends ofthe grate plates 19 are mounted on the longer pivot rods 15, while theinner ends thereof are mounted on the shorter pivot rods 14. The outerends of the succeeding hinge plates 20 are mounted on the shorter pivotrods 14 and the inner ends thereof are mounted on the longer pivot rods15. The hopper plate 16 extends from the outer end of the grate plate 19nearest the furnace opening 6 and it is movably supported by the pivotrods 15 and the rollers 13. The anchor plate 17 has the inner endthereof rigidly secured to a supporting member 22, which is spaced fromthe rear wall 2, and the outer end thereof mounted on the pivot rod 15.

As previously pointed out, the rails 7, which support the rollers 12carrying the pivot rods 14, are positioned just outside of the recesses9 formed in the side walls 4, thereby permitting vertical movement ofthe pivot rods 14 in the event of the buckling of a pair of grate andhinge plates. The height of the recesses 9 is such that verticalmovement of the rollers 13 and, as a consequence, the pivot rods 15, isprevented. Hence, it can be seen that each pair of plates is so mountedas to permit a buckling or upward movement of the same upon theapplication of force to one end thereof.

One method of applying force to the several pairs 18 of plates to causethe above-noted buckling, is shown in Fig. 1, wherein arack 23 ismounted on the edge of the hopper plate 16 nearest the side wall 4. Therack 23 meshes with a pinion 24 mounted on a shaft 25 which extendsacross the furnace opening 6. The shaft may be actuated by means of anoperating handle 26. A second rack and pinion are mounted on theopposite side of the furnace opening 6 for cooperation with theinainshaft 25.

In order to facilitate the successive buckling of the several pairs ofgrate and hinge plates in each of the longitudinal series I provide apair of tripping rods (Figs. 2, 4 and 5), which are positioned'onopposite sides of the grate structure 5 and which extend longitudinallyof the same from a point just beyond the outer end of the hopper plate16 to a point adjacent to the anchor plate 17. The inner ends of thetripping rods 30 are provided with longitudinally extending slots 31adapted to receive supporting pins 32 carried by the side rails 7. Theouter ends of the tripping rods 30 terminate in pivoted handle portions33 which are provided with notches 34 adapted to successively engageretaining pins 35 carried by lugs 36 extending downwardly from thehopper plates 16, whereby the tripping rods 30 may be retained in eithertheir normal or forward position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,respectively. The retaining pins 35 may be held in resilient engagementwith desired notches 34 by means of springs which extend from theunderside of the hopper plate 16 into engagement with the handleportions 33.

Each of the tripping rods 30 is provided with a series of spaced cams orraised portions 38 which are adapted to successively engage adjacent hubportions 39 formed on the undersides of the inner ends of the grateplates 19. The spacing of the first cam 38 is such that as the handleportion 33, and consequently the trip rod 30, is moved from the normalposition shown in Fig. 1 to the rearward position shown in Fig. 2, thefirst cam 38 of the series engages the hub portion 39 of the first pairof plates causing the same to buckle slightly. If the operating handle26 is now moved so as to actuate the hopper plate 16 rearwardly, thebuckling of the other pairs 18 of plates in each of the longitudinalseries continues to a degree depending upon the force applied.

The degree of buckling of each pair of plates 18 in each of thelongitudinal series may be determined by spacing bars or rods 40, therebeing one pair of bars 40 for each transverse series of pairs of grateand hinge plates. As shown in Fig. 5, for example, the ends of thatpivot rod 15 which supports the hopper plate 16 also supports the outerends of one pair of bars 40. The inner ends of this pair of bars areprovided with slots 41 so as to engage slidably the corresponding endsof the next adjacent pivot bar 15, the length of the slots 41determining, in each instance, the minimum angle between the grate andhinge plates as well as the movement of the hopper-plate pivot rod 15and the adjacent pivot rod 14. The buckling of successive pairs ofplates is similarly controlled by additional pairs of bars 40 as shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 5, opposite ends of which are in pivotal engagementwith one pivot rod 15 and in slotted engagement with the next succeedingpivot rod 15.

The spacing of the next succeeding cam 38 is such that as the first pairof plates (Fig. 1) completes its buckling operation, the continuedmovement of the handle 26 causes the next succeeding pair of plates tobe tripped and buckled, and this action continues until all the pairs ofplates have been buckled, as shown in Fig. 2.

A fuel hopper or chute 42 extends into the furnace opening 6 to a pointjust above the grate structure 5. The ashes and clinkers, which aremoved over the anchor plate 17 and under the feeding action of the gratestructure 5, pass onto a dumping plate 43 positioned between the anchorplate 17 and the rear wall 2. The dumping plate 43 may be controlled byany well known means and, when released, causes the ashes to dischargeinto an ash pit 44 positioned directly beneath the same.

When the parts are in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawing, the several ta t-1 grate plates 19 and 29 are in their normal.

fiat position permitting coal to pass from the hopper 42 down onto theupper surface of the grate structurefi, As abovepointed out,

; ifthehandlesSS are moved from the normal position shown in Fig. 1 tothe rearward positionshown in Fig. 2, thefirst cam 38 on each tripperrod is moved into engagement withthe hub portions 39=of the first pairof plates, causin g the same to buckle slightly. If the operating handle26 is nowturned in a counter-clockwise direction, the hopper plate 16tends to move rearwardly, causing the buckling action to continue untilthe pivot L rodl5 engages the outer end of the first pair of slots 41 inthe spacing rods 40, at which point the raisedor buckled plates are substantially at right angles.

As the first pair of plates completes its buckling operation, the nextsucceeding cam 38 on each tripper rod 30 is moved into engagement withthe hub portion 39 of the next succeeding pair of plates, so that thefurther actuation of the operating handle 26 1 causes these plates tobuckle as in the case of the first pair of plates, and this actioncontinues until all the pairs of plates have been buckled, forming theraised grate structure of Fig. 2.

As the plates are successively buckled, the fuel bed is carriedrearwardly without any packing due to one portion of the fuel bedpushing against a succeeding portion. The buckling movement of the pairsof grate and 3 hinge plates also opens up the fuel bed, which tends toprevent clinker formation and which further facilitates the free passageof air through the fuel bed.

When the direction of movement of the operating arm 26 is reversed, thepairs of grate and hinge plates are successively returned to theiroriginal fiat position. The return movement of the plates has a tendencyto slide the entire fuel bed toward the front i wall 1, but this isavoided by the retarding action of the coal carried rearwardly from thehopper 42 on the rearward movement of the grate structure 5. Ifanything, the tendency for a forward movement of the fuel bed, as thegrate structure 5 is returned to its normal position, is something of anad vantage in that it causes the closing up of such voids in the fuelbed as may have been formed during the rearward movement of the gratestructure 5.

My invention further contemplates a grate structure which is so designedthat any desired transverse series of pairs 18 of grate and hinge platesmay be raised or lowered and moved forward or backward without are sospaced as to permit the locking sired cam 36 engages the desired hub.por

tion The subsequent rocking of'the operating lever 26, causes a movementof the desired transverse seriesof pairs ofgrate and hinge plates.

While I have shown only one embodiment of my invention, for the purposeof describing the same and illustrating its principles of constructionand of operation, it is ap parent that various changes and modificationsmaybe made thereon, Without departing from the spirit of my invention. Idesire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereonas are indicated in the appended claims, or as are demanded by the priorart.

I clalm:

1. A grate structure comprising a longitudinal series of pivotallyconnected grate and hinge plates, said grate plates alternating withsaid hinge plates, and tripping means operable to cause the buckling ofpairs of said grate and hinge plates'uponan application of force to oneend of said grate structure.

2. A grate structure comprisinga plurality of connected grate andhingeplates,

said grate plates alternating with said hinge plates, means for exertinga longitudinal force on said plurality of plates and an ad T- ditionalforce on certain of said plates, and means forso supporting said platesthat said forces may cause the buckling ofsuccessive pairs of grate andhinge plates and the bodily movement of one portion ofsaid grate struc-,

ture upon said buckling.

3. A movable grate structure comprising axlongitudinal series of pairsof plates, a plurality of pivot rods for operatively connectingsaidpairs of plates, pivot rodsindividual to'each pair-of plates, means. forpreventing a vertical movement of the pivot, rods of one group, trippingmeans for caus.- ing the initial buckling of at least oneof said pairsof. plates, and means forexerting a force on the grate structure,whereby said pairs of plates may be buckled to apredetermined extent. 3

4. A. grate. structure comprising a longitudinal series of pivotallyconnected plates, and means for creating a progressive advancement offuel from one end of said grate to the other comprising mechanism forIonconnected plates, and means for progressive-;

1y advancing fuel from one end of said grate to the other includingmeans for giving a longitudinal reciprocating action to the upper end ofsaid series, and restraining guides for certain of the plate-connectingpivots, the other pivots being free to move out of the normal plane ofsaid grate to permit a predetermined upward buckling of the pivotedplates under the reciprocating action.

6. A movable grate structure comprising a longitudinal series of pairsof plates, a plurality of pivot rods for operatively connecting saidpairs of plates, pivot rods individual to each pair of plates, recessedside walls incorporating restraining guides for said first-mentionedrods, said individual pivot rods being shorter than the first-mentionedrods to thereby avoid said guides and to permit buckling of said pairsof plates, and reciprocating mechanism attached to one end 20,

of said series of plates and operative thereon in a directionlongitudinally of said series whereby said plates are alternatelybuckled and retracted to the normal positions.

7. A reciprocally movable grate structure comprising a longitudinalseries of pairs of plates, a plurality of pivot rods for operativelyconnecting said pairs of plates, pivot rods individual to each pair ofplates, said first-mentioned rods being of a different length than saidsecond-mentioned rods, a pair ofspaced walls provided with groovesforming guides for the longer rods, means eX- tending from said wallproviding a track outside of said groove for the shorter rods, andreciprocating mechanism attached to one end of said series of plates andoperative thereon in a direction longitudinally of said series wherebysaid plates are alternately buckle-d and retracted to the normalpositions.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a movable grate structurecomprising a longitudinal series of pairs of plates, a plui rality ofpivot rods for operatively connecting said pairs of plates, pivot rodsindividual to each pair of plates, said first-mentioned rods being of adifierent length than said second-mentionedrods, a pair of spaced wallsprovided with grooves forming guides for the longer rods, and meansextending from said wall providing a track outside of said groove forthe shorter rods, reciprocating mechanism attached to one end of saidseries of plates and operative thereon in a I direction longitudinallyof said series whereby said plates are alternately buckled and retractedto the normal positions.

9. A fuel-feeding structure comprising a longitudinal series of pairs ofgrate plates and hinge plates, means for pivotally supporting a'd acentends of said successlve plates, means for exerting a force on one end Mof said structure, means coacting with said plates for causing saidpairs of grate and hinge plates to buckle under the action of saidforce, and means for limiting the extent of the buckling of said pairsof plates.

10. An articulated grate consisting of relatively long and shortfuel-supporting elements hinged together in longitudinal series, with along element preceding each short element from the front end of thegrate toward the rear, the hinge joint between each short element andthe preceding long element being free to rise from the normal plane ofthe grate, means restraining the other hinge joints to movementsubstantially in the said normal plane, means for exerting longitudinalpressure on the grate at the forward end, and means for guiding the saidfree joints upwardly to eiiect buckling of the grate at the free hingejoints under action of said pressure.

EDMUND J. CLERGET.

